Manufacturing method of a semiconductor device with efficient edge structure

ABSTRACT

A manufacturing method of an electronic device includes: forming a drift layer of an N type; forming a trench in the drift layer; forming an edge-termination structure alongside the trench by implanting dopant species of a P type; and forming a depression region between the trench and the edge-termination structure by digging the drift layer. The steps of forming the depression region and the trench are carried out at the same time. The step of forming the depression region comprises patterning the drift layer to form a structural connection with the edge-termination structure having a first slope, and the step of forming the trench comprises etching the drift layer to define side walls of the trench, which have a second slope steeper than the first slope.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a manufacturing method of anelectronic device, for example based upon silicon carbide, provided withan edge structure.

Description of the Related Art

As is known, semiconductor materials which have a wide forbidden bandgap, in particular, an energy value Eg of the forbidden band gap greaterthan 1.1 eV, low on-state resistance (R_(ON)), high value of thermalconductivity, high operating frequency, and high velocity saturation ofcharge carriers, are ideal for producing electronic components, such asdiodes or transistors, in particular for power applications. A materialhaving said characteristics, and designed to be used manufacturingelectronic components, is silicon carbide (SiC). In particular, siliconcarbide, in its different polytypes (e.g., 3C-SiC, 4H-SiC, 6H-SiC), ispreferable to silicon as regards the properties listed previously.

Electronic devices provided on a silicon carbide substrate, as comparedto similar devices provided on a silicon substrate, present numerousadvantageous characteristics, such as low output resistance inconduction, low leakage current, high working temperature, and highworking frequencies.

FIG. 1 shows, in lateral sectional view, a Schottky diode 1 during anintermediate manufacturing step, and comprises a drift layer 2 thatextends over a substrate 3 and has a first conductivity type(N). Anactive region 4 extends at a top surface 2 a of the drift layer 2. Anedge termination region 6, in particular an implanted region having asecond conductivity type(P) extends at the top surface 2 a andsurrounds, either completely or partially, the active area 4. Extendingbetween the active area 4 and the edge termination region 6 is an edgetransition region 7, which has a second conductivity type(P) and isdesigned to be contacted by a metal layer (not illustrated) that formsan anode contact. A cathode contact (not illustrated) may instead beformed in an area corresponding to the substrate 3.

A plurality of junction-barrier (JB) elements 8 extend on the topsurface 2 a, and each include a respective implanted region having thesecond type of conductivity. A respective recess 9 extends from the topsurface 2 a for each junction-barrier element 8, so that each recess 9is completely surrounded by the respective junction-barrier element 8and is not directly adjacent to portions of the drift layer 2 that havethe first type of conductivity. Instead, regions of the drift layer 2that have the first conductivity type extend between onejunction-barrier element 8 and the adjacent junction-barrier element 8.Formed in manufacturing steps subsequent to that of FIG. 1 and notillustrated herein on the top surface 2 a and within the recesses 9, inparticular in direct contact with the drift layer 2 and with thejunction-barrier elements 8, is a metal layer (anode metallization) thatprovides a Schottky (metal-semiconductor) junction with portions of thedrift layer 2 that have the first conductivity type and a differentbarrier junction with the junction-barrier elements 8.

In use, when the Schottky diode 1 is forward-biased, the Schottkyjunction switches on before the barrier junction. For low forwardvoltages, the current drift is dominated by the majority carriers (here,electrons) injected through the Schottky junction, and the diode 1operates in a traditional way. When the diode 1 is reverse-biased,depletion regions that are formed adjacent to the barrier junctionsexpand and block the reverse current, thus protecting the Schottkyjunction and limiting the reverse leakage current. The diode 1 operates,in this condition, as a PIN diode. The presence of the trenches 9 hasthe function of enabling formation of the junction-barrier elements 8 ata greater depth, in the layer 2, with respect to a condition where thetrenches are not present (implantation to form the junction-barrierelements 8 is in fact carried out after etching of the trenches 9). Thistechnical solution proves particularly beneficial for SiC devices,improving the aforementioned effects of protection of the Schottkyjunction and of limitation of the reverse leakage current. The step offormation of the trenches 9 envisages a chemical etching, for example adirectional dry etching, represented schematically by arrows 12 inFIG. 1. By choosing an etching technique of an anisotropic type it ispossible to provide trenches 9 with substantially vertical side walls. Acompact device is thus obtained, in which the dimensions of the activearea are limited only by the photolithographic technique used. However,this same type of etching causes formation of a step 14 with a steeptransition (close to 90° with respect to the plane of lie XY of the topsurface 2 a) between the edge transition region 7 and the edgetermination region 6. It is known that the presence of the bottom insideedge 14 a concentrates, during use, the electrical field, causingtriggering of the avalanche-multiplication process in a premature way(low reverse-biasing values).

To overcome the problems mentioned above, a solution known to thepresent applicant envisages formation of an edge transition regionbetween the active area 4 and the edge termination region 6 having asurface 24 that is inclined (with respect to the plane of the surface 2a) and having a slope much lower than 90°, in particular lower than 50°(angle of elevation measured between the plane of the surface 2 a andthe inclined surface of the edge termination region 6, within the driftlayer 2). This embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 2, which shows, inlateral sectional view, a Schottky diode 20 in an intermediatemanufacturing step corresponding to that of FIG. 1. Elements of FIG. 2that are functionally similar to corresponding elements of FIG. 1 aredesignated by the same reference numbers and are not described anyfurther herein.

In what follows, the step of formation of the trenches 9 envisages achemical etching, represented schematically by arrows 22, whichcontemplates the use of a process with a higher degree of isotropy. Inthis way, it is possible to provide a transition region having theinclined surface 24 between the active area 4 and the edge region 6 thatpresents the desired slope. Since during this etching step also thetrenches 9 are formed, are these are delimited by side walls having thesame slope as the inclined surface 24. Even though this characteristicdoes not adversely affect the electrical behavior in the active region4, it causes, however, an undesirable increase in the area occupied bythe active region 4.

A solution to the disadvantage of the embodiment of FIG. 2 consists incarrying out two different steps of masked chemical etching, one to formthe trenches 9 with substantially vertical walls and the other to formthe transition region with inclined surface 24 having the desired slope(e.g., less than 55°). Also this solution, however, presentsdisadvantages, due to the need to provide at least two different etchingmasks and carry out two different etching processes that consequentlyincrease the costs and duration of the manufacturing process. Further,misalignments may occur with respect to the arrangement envisaged in thedesign stage, between the active region and the edge region, as a resultof undesirable misalignments of the masks used during the aforementionedphotolithographic processes. A possible misalignment may cause a loss ofefficiency of the device in reverse-biasing conditions.

BRIEF SUMMARY

One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide amanufacturing method of an electronic device, in particular a powerdiode with Schottky junction, that will not present the drawbacks of theprior art.

One or more embodiments of the present discloser are directed to amanufacturing method for making an electronic device and includesforming a drift layer having a top surface and a first conductivity;forming a trench in the drift layer by etching the drift layer startingfrom the top surface; forming an edge-termination structure laterally tosaid trench by implanting dopant species which have a secondconductivity different from the first conductivity; and forming adepression region between said trench and said edge-terminationstructure by etching the drift layer starting from the top surface. Inone or more embodiments, forming the depression region and forming thetrench are carried out at the same time, forming the depression regioncomprises patterning the drift layer to have a first slope, and formingthe trench comprises etching the drift layer to define side walls of thetrench which have a second slope steeper than the first slope.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present disclosure, preferredembodiments thereof are now described, purely by way of non-limitingexample, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a JBS (Junction-Barrier Schottky) diode according to anembodiment that does not form the subject of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows a JBS diode according to a further embodiment that does notform the subject of the present disclosure; and

FIGS. 3A-3H show steps for manufacturing an electronic device, inparticular a power diode, more in particular a JBS diode, according tothe present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to the present disclosure, a method is provided formanufacturing an electronic device 50, in particular a diode, even morein particular a power diode with Schottky junction (JBS diode).

The manufacturing method is described with reference to FIGS. 3A-3H,which illustrate, in lateral sectional view, steps of processing of awafer 100 of semiconductor material. FIGS. 3A-3H show the wafer 100 in atriaxial system of mutually orthogonal axes X, Y, Z.

With reference to FIG. 3A, the wafer 100 comprises a substrate 30 ofsemiconductor material, in particular silicon carbide (SiC) having afirst conductivity type (in this embodiment a doping of an N type),provided with a front side 30 a and a back side 30 b that are oppositeto one another. The resistivity of the substrate 30 is, for example,comprised between 5 mΩ·cm and 40 mΩ·cm.

Formed on the front side 30 a of the substrate 30, for example byepitaxial growth, is a drift layer 32, of silicon carbide having thefirst conductivity type(N) and having a concentration of dopants lowerthan that of the substrate 30, for example comprised between 1·10¹⁴ and5·10¹⁶ atoms/cm³. The drift layer 32 is made of SiC, in particular4H-SiC, but other polytypes may be used, such as 2H, 6H, 3C, and/or 15R.

Alternatively, the substrate 30 and the drift layer 32 may be made ofother semiconductor materials, for example GaN, GaAs, Si, Ge, or othersstill.

The drift layer 32 extends between a top side 32 a and a bottom side 32b (the latter in direct contact with the front side 30 a of thesubstrate 30). On the top side 32 a of the drift layer 32 a hard mask 34is formed, for example by deposition of a mask layer, made, for example,of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), and subsequent photolithographicdefinition. The hard mask 34 has a thickness of between 0.5 μm and 2 μm,or in any case a thickness such as to shield the implantation describedhereinafter with reference to FIG. 3D. The hard mask 34 thus formedcomprises: a first portion 34 a, which extends in a region 33 of thewafer 100 where, in subsequent steps, an edge region of the diode 50 (ofthe same type as the edge region 6 of FIGS. 1 and 2) will be formed; anda plurality of second portions 34 b, which extend in a region 35 of thewafer 100 where, in subsequent steps, the active area of the diode 50will be formed.

Etching of the mask layer 34 is carried out, for example, via adry-etching process—for example of a RIE (Reactive Ion-Etching) type, orelse of an ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) type—with high anisotropiccomponent, using an etching chemistry selective in regard to the driftlayer 32. In this example, since the layer 32 is made of SiC, it ispossible to use as etching chemistry CHF₃/CF₄/Ar diluted in He, withconditions of pressure in the etching chamber that range between 100 and10 mTorr (according to whether it is a RIE or an ICP etching) and with apower of between 500 and 700 W. It is thus possible to obtain secondportions 34 b, which have side walls that are substantially orthogonal(between approximately 85° and 89°, e.g., approximately 88°) withrespect to the plane of lie (parallel to XY) of the top side 32 a of thedrift layer 32.

The material of the mask layer, as likewise the etching chemistry, maybe chosen as a function of the angle that it is desired to obtainbetween the side walls of the second portions 34 b and the plane of lieof the top side 32 a of the drift layer 32. Here, an angle close to 90°(or, in general, greater than 85°) is desirable in order to render thediode 50 compact in the direction of the axis X.

This is followed (FIG. 3B) by a step of formation of a further mask 36on the wafer 100 and in particular on the first portion 34 a of the hardmask 34 and on the drift layer 32 in a region of the latter that extendsbetween the first portion 34 a of the hard mask 34 and the secondportions 34 b (i.e., between the region 33 and the region 35).

The mask 36 does not extend, instead, over or between the secondportions 34 b or, in any case, on the region 35 of the wafer 100 wherethe active area of the diode 50 will be formed.

As may be noted from FIG. 3B, the step of formation of the mask 36envisages, after a step of deposition of a photoresist layer (e.g., byspinning), a step of removal of selective portions of the photoresistlayer in order to form a transition zone 36 a that has a surfaceinclined with respect to the top surface 32 a; thus, in the transitionzone 36 a, the thickness of the mask 36, measured along the axis Zstarting from the top surface 32 a of the drift layer 32, decreasesprogressively in the direction away from the region 33 (or, likewise, inthe direction towards the region 35). In particular, the mask 36 has amaximum thickness d_(M), measured along the axis Z, comprised between 2μm and 6 μm, and, in the transition zone 36 a, the thickness of the mask36 decreases from d_(M) to a zero thickness with a pre-set slope. Theinclined surface of the mask 36 has a slope set between 10° and 60°, forexample 45° (amplitude of the internal angle α of the mask 36, formed bythe intersection of the inclined surface with the top surface 32 a ofthe drift layer 32).

In the embodiment of FIG. 3B, the reduction in thickness of the mask 36in the transition zone 36 a is substantially linear along the axis X; ina different embodiment (not illustrated), the reduction in thickness ofthe mask 36 is made in discrete steps along the axis X, i.e., throughsmall steps.

The desired shape for the mask 36, in particular for the transition zone36 a, may be obtained with a process that uses photoresists of a largethickness (in particular, equal to or greater than 2 μm), an appropriatestep of exposure to light where the conditions of focusing of theprocess may be altered with respect to the best setting (auto-focus)that the machine would automatically implement. The condition ofdefocusing is, in particular, comprised between 0 and −1.5 μm withrespect to the plane of lie of the mask 36 (or rather, of the top sideof the mask 36, in order to reduce the effect of its thickness),followed by a step of development in which a single dispensation of thesolvent or a double dispensation of the solvent (“double puddle”) may becarried out to remove the part of photoresist exposed to the UVradiation during the step of exposure to light. At the end of thedevelopment step, the transition zone 36 a will present an angle ofelevation (angle α in FIG. 3B) in the plane defined by the top side 32 athat is comprised between approximately 70° and 75°. The mask 36 is thensubjected to an appropriate thermal treatment to favor stabilizationthereof; this step entails a further variation of the angle α, whichdrops to a value of between approximately 60° and 70°. Theaforementioned thermal treatment of the mask 36 envisages, in anembodiment, a process of baking in an oven at a temperature comprisedbetween 120° C. and 130° C. for 1 h, with or without an initial ramp; ina further embodiment, the thermal treatment envisages a process of adeep-UV type whereby baking is carried out at a temperature of between200° C. and 220° C., reached by a temperature ramp of the duration of3-5 minutes, in the presence of UV radiation. UV radiation facilitatesand accelerates the process of cross-linking of the photoresist.

During the aforementioned step of thermal treatment of the photoresist,the photoresist releases the solvent trapped within it, andsimultaneously the cross-linking process is carried out, with themodification of the double and triple bonds of the macromolecules thatconstitute it: the result of that modification at a macroscopic level isa greater resistance to plasmas (which is useful, especially in thesubsequent step of etching of the SiC), as well as a variation of theprofile of the photoresist layer itself. In this way, a profile (incross-sectional view in the plane XZ) of the mask 36 is generated thatforms with the plane of lie of the side 32 a (parallel to XY) an angleof between 60° and 70°, as specified above.

There then follows a step (FIG. 3C) of etching of the wafer 100, inparticular a dry etch using an ICP etching tool, using as etchingchemistry O₂/SF₆/HBr, with a pressure in the region of approximately10-15 mTorr and a power ranging between 600 W and 800 W at the source(for generation of the plasma) and a bias power of between 70 W and 150W (for acceleration of the etching species towards the chuck). Theaforementioned parameters are, in general, chosen so as to remove themask 36 at a rate higher (e.g., approximately three times higher) thanthe rate of removal of the drift layer 32.

Etching proceeds, removing portions of the drift layer 32 not protectedby the mask 36 or the mask 34, to form trenches 38, which havesubstantially vertical walls, in the drift layer 32 in the region 35(active area of the diode 50).

Since the aforementioned etching process likewise removes surfaceportions of the mask 36, by carrying out the etching step of FIG. 3C fora time that is a function of the depth of the digging that is to beobtained (with the upper limit determined by the rate of etching of thephotoresist used for the mask 36 and by its thickness), also removed aresurface portions of the drift layer 32 that are progressively exposed onaccount of removal of the progressively thinner portions of the mask 36.In other words, the mask 36 recedes in the direction of the axis X (awayfrom the region 35) at the inclined surface in the transition zone 36 a,progressively exposing portions of the top surface 32 a of the driftlayer 32, which may thus be etched and removed by the ion beam.

In this way, a transition region 32 c of the drift layer 32 is obtainedbetween the region 35 (active area of the diode 50) and the region 33(edge termination region of the diode 50) that has a slope which is afunction of the slope of the transition zone 36 a of the mask 36 and ofthe difference between the etching rate of the material of the mask 36and that of the material of the drift layer 32.

Thus, at the end of the step of FIG. 3C, the wafer 100 presents trenches38 delimited by walls that have a slope comprised between 80° and 90°with respect to the top surface 32 a (here, parallel to the plane XY oflie of the wafer 100) and a transition region 32 c delimited by asurface of the drift layer 32 that has a slope comprised between 10° and60° with respect to the top surface 32 a. In a same processing step, twodifferent slopes are thus obtained for two different functional regionsof the diode 50 that is being produced.

Then (FIG. 3D), the mask 36 is removed, and the mask 34 kept on thewafer 100. A step is now carried out of implantation of dopant species(e.g., boron or aluminum), which have the second conductivity type(here, P), exploiting the hard mask 34 (indicated in the figure byarrows 39). A plurality of junction-barrier (JB) elements 40 are thusformed, here of a P type, at each trench 38.

During the above implantation step, an implanted anode region 41 islikewise formed between the region 33 and the region 35 (i.e., betweenthe mask portion 34 a and the plurality of mask portions 34 b).

In one embodiment, the step of FIG. 3D comprises one or moreimplantations of dopant species, which have the second type ofconductivity, with implantation energy comprised between 30 keV and 400keV, and with doses of between 1·10¹² atoms/cm² and 1·10¹⁵ atoms/cm², inorder to form the junction-barrier elements 40 and the implanted anoderegion 41, which have a dopant concentration higher than 1·10¹⁸atoms/cm³.

This is then followed (FIG. 3E) by the step of formation of an edgeregion 42 by implantation of dopant species that have the second type ofconductivity. For this purpose, before the implantation step, the mask34 is removed and then an implantation mask 43 (e.g., of TEOS) is formedon the wafer 100, patterned so as to expose only the surface portionswhere it is desired to form the edge region 42. This is followed byimplantation (here, of a P type and indicated in the figure by arrows44), which is carried out by implanting dopant atoms (e.g., aluminum orboron) with an implantation energy comprised between 20 keV and 300 keV,and an implantation dose comprised between 1·10¹² atoms/cm² and 1·10¹³atoms/cm².

According to one embodiment, the mask 43 is patterned so that the edgeregion 42 extends partially overlapping a terminal portion of theimplanted anode region 41, so that the two regions will be in electricalcontact and the continuity of the layer of a P type will be guaranteedeven in the presence of any possible misalignment between the masks 34and 43.

Next (FIG. 3F), the mask 43 is removed and a step of thermal annealingis carried out for diffusion and activation of the dopant speciesimplanted in the steps of FIGS. 3D and 3E. The thermal annealing is, forexample, carried out at a temperature higher than 1600° C. (e.g.,between 1700 and 1900° C., and in some cases even higher). Followingupon thermal annealing, the edge region 42 has a concentration of dopantspecies comprised between approximately 1·10¹⁵ atoms/cm³ and 1·10¹⁷atoms/cm³, whereas the junction-barrier elements 40 and the implantedanode region 41 have a concentration of dopant species comprised betweenapproximately 1·10¹⁷ atoms/cm³ and 1·10²⁰ atoms/cm³.

This is followed by formation of an insulating layer 46 is formed,designed to cover the edge region 42 completely and leave the transitionzone 32 and the active-area region 35 exposed (FIG. 3G). The insulatinglayer 46 is, for example, of deposited TEOS.

Then (FIG. 3H), an anode metallization is formed.

For this purpose, an interface layer 47, of metal material, such astitanium, nickel, molybdenum, or other conductive material chosen on thebasis of physical parameters of the metal used for the interface layer47 and of the semiconductor used for the drift layer 32, is deposited onthe wafer 100 (in general, when the junction is provided between a metaland a semiconductor, an energy barrier is formed both for the electronsand for the holes). The aforesaid parameters include the work functionof the metal, the work function of the semiconductor, and the electronicaffinity of the semiconductor. The lower the work function of the metal,the lower the voltage drop; however, corresponding to metals with lowwork function are higher leakages in the finished device. Thus, thechoice of the metal may be made on the basis of a compromise between theacceptable leakages and the acceptable voltage drop. The interface layer47 is deposited via sputtering and has a thickness of betweenapproximately 10 nm and 500 nm. The interface layer 47 extends incontact with the implanted anode region 41, with the regions of thedrift layer 32 between one trench 38 and the adjacent one, and likewisepenetrates into the trenches 38. In particular, the interface layer 47forms a Schottky contact with the exposed regions of the drift layer 32and forms an ohmic contact with the junction-barrier elements 40 andwith the implanted anode region 41.

Next, a further metal layer 48 is formed on top of, and in directcontact with, the interface layer 47. The metal layer 48 is, forexample, of aluminum or copper, and has a thickness of a few microns,for example between 1 and 10 μm.

The ensemble constituted by the interface layer 47 and the metal layer48 forms an anode metallization 49.

A plurality of metal-semiconductor junctions of a Schottky type is thusformed between the anode metallization 49 and the regions of the driftlayer 32 that have the first conductivity type(N).

An ohmic contact having the function of driving the PN junction is,instead, formed between the anode metallization 49 and thejunction-barrier elements 40 (having the second type of conductivity,here P).

An ohmic contact having the function of driving the edge region isformed between the anode metallization 49 and the implanted anode region41 (having the second type of conductivity, here P).

In a different embodiment (not illustrated), the interface layer 47 maybe omitted, so that the anode metallization 49 coincides with the metallayer 48, which extends in direct contact with the drift layer 32.

Finally, a cathode contact is formed on the back side 30 b of thesubstrate 30, for example by depositing a layer of metal material 45designed to form an ohmic contact with the substrate 30.

The region of the drift layer 32 that extends along the axis Z betweenthe Schottky junctions and the layer of metal material 45 (cathode) isthe active area 4 of the diode 50 (i.e., the region where drift of theelectrical charges occurs). The edge region 42 surrounds the active area4 either completely (e.g., the edge region 42 is a ring) or partially.The function of the edge region 42 is to reduce or prevent crowding ofthe electrical-field lines on the outside of the Schottky junctions.

From an examination of the characteristics of the disclosure providedaccording to the present disclosure the advantages that it affords areevident.

In particular, the present disclosure enables formation, using alow-cost process in which the manufacturing steps are reduced in numberas compared to processes of a known type, of trenches and diggings in asemiconductor device that have a different slope of the walls thatdelimit them. Even more in particular, these trenches and diggings areformed at the same time in a same processing step. This enableselimination of the problems of misalignment that could arise usingdifferent masks for formation of trenches and diggings delimited bywalls that have slopes different from one another. Further, thanks tothe technical solution of the present disclosure, the total area may besmaller as compared to the solution of FIG. 2, and at the same timeundesirable concentrations of field lines at corners formed in the driftlayer, as discussed with reference to the prior art of FIG. 1, areavoided.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made towhat has been described and illustrated herein, without therebydeparting from the scope of the present disclosure.

For example, it is possible to implement the method described previouslyfor manufacturing an electronic device having just one trench 38 and/orjust one Schottky contact between the anode metallization 48 and thedrift layer 32.

Further, it is possible to increase the slope of the region 32 c beyond50°, at the same time accepting a reduction in performance of thedevice, in any case maintaining the slope below the value of slope ofthe internal walls of the trenches 38. Likewise, it is possible toreduce the slope of the internal walls of the trenches 38 below 80°, inany case maintaining the slope above the value of slope of the region 32c.

The present disclosure may likewise be applied during the steps ofproduction of an edge structure of devices of a trench-MOSFET type.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to providefurther embodiments. These and other changes can be made to theembodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, inthe following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limitthe claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specificationand the claims, but should be construed to include all possibleembodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which suchclaims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by thedisclosure.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A manufacturing method of an electronicdevice, comprising: forming a drift layer having a top surface and afirst conductivity; forming a trench in the drift layer by etching thedrift layer starting from the top surface; forming an edge-terminationstructure laterally to the trench by implanting dopant species whichhave a second conductivity different from the first conductivity; andforming a depression region between the trench and the edge-terminationstructure by etching the drift layer starting from the top surface,wherein: forming the depression region and forming the trench arecarried out at the same time, forming the depression region comprisespatterning the drift layer to have a first slope, and forming the trenchcomprises etching the drift layer to define side walls of the trenchwhich have a second slope steeper than the first slope.
 2. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein forming at the same time the depressionregion and the trench comprises: forming a first etching mask having afirst opening and a second opening; forming a second etching mask thatextends into a first portion of the second opening of the first etchingmask and leaves uncovered a first portion of a drift region that wasexposed by the second opening, the second etching mask having a rampwith a thickness that decreases according to the first slope; andcarrying out an etching that forms a recess by removing a second portionof the drift layer exposed through the first opening and forms thedepression region by removing the first portion of the drift region,removing at least a portion of the ramp of the second etching mask, andremoves a third portion of the drift region that was uncovered byremoving the at least a portion of the ramp.
 3. The method according toclaim 2, wherein the first etching mask is made of tetraethylorthosilicate TEOS and the second etching mask is made of photoresist.4. The method according to claim 2, wherein carrying out the etchingincludes etching using an inductively coupled plasma.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 4, wherein the etching is carried out usingO₂/SF₆/HBr, a pressure of 10-15 mTorr in an etching chamber, a plasmasource having a power between 600 W and 800 W, and a bias power between70 W and 150 W.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the firstslope is comprised between 10° and 60° and the second slope is comprisedbetween 80° and 90°.
 7. The method according to claim 1, furthercomprising implanting dopant species, which have the secondconductivity, in the drift region at a bottom of the trench.
 8. Themethod according to claim 7, wherein implanting dopant species includesimplanting the dopant species in the depression region and in a portionof the drift layer between the depression region and theedge-termination structure, thereby forming an implanted anode regionthat contacts the edge-termination structure.
 9. The method according toclaim 7, further comprising, prior to the implanting step, forming ahard mask on top of the top surface, the hard mask having an openingdefined by side walls of the hard mask, wherein forming the trenchincludes etching the drift layer through the opening in the hard maskand the implanting step includes defining one or more surface regions ofthe drift layer, which have the first type of conductivity.
 10. Themethod according to claim 9, further comprising forming a metal layer indirect contact with the one or more surface regions of the drift layer,thus forming one or more Schottky junctions.
 11. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the drift layer is made of silicon carbide.
 12. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the first conductivity is of an Ntype and the second conductivity is of a P type.
 13. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a power diode,the method further including: forming an anode contact at the topsurface of the drift layer; and forming a cathode contact below thedrift layer.
 14. A method, comprising: forming a mask on a top surfaceof a semiconductor body, the mask including a first opening defined byfirst side walls having a first slope and a second opening defined bysecond sidewalls with one of the second side walls being a ramp having asecond slope that is less than the first slope; forming a trench in thesemiconductor body by etching the semiconductor body through the firstopening; forming a depression region in the semiconductor body byetching the semiconductor body through the second opening, etching atleast a portion of the ramp, and etching a portion of the semiconductorbody that was exposed by etching the at least a portion of the ramp,wherein forming the depression region and forming the trench are carriedconcurrently; forming an anode contact at the top surface of thesemiconductor body; and forming a cathode contact at a bottom surface ofthe semiconductor body.
 15. The method according to claim 14, furthercomprising: forming an edge-termination structure laterally to thetrench by implanting dopant species which have a second conductivitydifferent from a first conductivity; and implanting further dopantspecies in the depression region and in a portion of the semiconductorbody between the depression region and the edge-termination structure,thereby forming an implanted anode region that contacts theedge-termination structure.
 16. The method according to claim 14,wherein the mask includes a first mask layer that defines the firstopening and a second mask layer that includes the ramp.
 17. The methodaccording to claim 16, wherein the first mask layer is made oftetraethyl orthosilicate TEOS and the second mask layer is made ofphotoresist.
 18. A method of making a Junction-Barrier Schottky (JBS)diode, comprising: forming a trench in a semiconductor body having topand bottom surfaces and a first conductivity, forming the trenchincluding etching the semiconductor body starting from the top surface,the trench being defined by side walls of the semiconductor body thathave a first slope; forming an edge-termination structure laterally tothe trench by implanting dopant species which have a second conductivitydifferent from the first conductivity; forming a depression regionbetween the trench and the edge-termination structure by etching a driftlayer starting from the top surface concurrently with forming thetrench, the depression region comprises patterning the drift layer tohave a second slope that is less than the first slope; implanting dopantspecies, which have the second conductivity, in the semiconductor bodyat a bottom of the trench to form one or more first surface regions ofthe second conductivity between plural second surface regions of thesemiconductor body, which have the first type of conductivity; formingan anode contact at the top surface of the semiconductor body, the anodecontact contacting the first and second surface regions; and forming acathode contact at the bottom surface of the semiconductor body.
 19. Themethod according to claim 18, further comprising: forming a firstetching mask having a first opening and a second opening; forming asecond etching mask that extends into a first portion of the secondopening of the first etching mask and leaves uncovered a first portionof the semiconductor body that was exposed by the second opening, thesecond etching mask having a ramp with a thickness that decreasesaccording to the first slope; and carrying out an etching that forms arecess by removing a second portion of the drift layer exposed throughthe first opening and forms the depression region by removing the firstportion of the drift region, removing at least a portion of the ramp ofthe second etching mask, and removes a third portion of thesemiconductor body that was uncovered by removing the at least a portionof the ramp.
 20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the firstslope is comprised between 10° and 60° and the second slope is comprisedbetween 80° and 90°.